Highlights: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

•Four Seasons Hotel Boston is ideally located, overlooking Boston Public Garden and Beacon Hill

•Hotel offers a sophisticated classic-meets-contemporary design

•Posh guest rooms and suites appeal to both business and leisure travelers

•Award-winning dining at Mobil Four-Star Aujord’hui, the hotel’s main restaurant where Boston comes to celebrate special occasions, big deals, or simply to hob knob

•Hotel has its own conference/meeting plan staff to help execute the perfect event

•Indoor pool has floor-to-ceiling city stunning views of some of Boston’s treasured landmarks

Amenities: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

• 273 rooms, 15 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions. Check-in 3 pm, check-out Noon. High-speed Internet access. Two restaurants, two bars. Fitness room, spa. Indoor pool, whirlpool. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

The Four Seasons Hotel Boston is a beautiful hotel with a classic-meets-contemporary design sensibility. Glorious fresh flower arrangements dominate the entrance, and gleaming marble with striking black-and-white checkerboard squares makes a dramatic first impression in the lobby. The contemporary lobby sets an elegant tone for this top-notch hotel, while the rooms and suites have a more classic appeal.

The hotel is perhaps best known for its award-winning restaurant, Aujourd’hui. This glorious restaurant overlooking the Boston Public Garden wins rave reviews from Mobil Travel Guide, critics, gourmands, and others for its modern French cuisine. The restaurant is widely considered to be one of Boston’s best and is packed nightly with a fantastic crowd of movers and shakers. Other notable features of this hotel include an indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Public Garden and the city, as well as a nicely equipped fitness center. Spa and massage services are available in the treatment room or in the privacy of a guest room or suite.

The hotel’s location overlooking Boston Public Garden and Beacon Hill and within a stone’s throw from notable attractions makes it a good bet for tourists, but the Four Seasons Hotel Boston is also a favorite of business travelers who appreciate its convenient location and plentiful business-focused amenities. The mood is rather formal here and the staff does take an all-business approach.

Adults vacationing alone or with friends will find it to be a good fit, but romantics may find it lacks the intimacy they desire. The Four Seasons Hotel Boston does accommodate travelers with young children quite well, though, so families don’t need to forsake Mobil Five-Star luxuries when toting their little ones to Boston.

(+) Award-winning design, great location appeal to business and leisure travelers
(-) Hotel may not be the best choice for couples seeking a romantic hideaway

Guest Services: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

Since The Four Seasons Hotel Boston is known worldwide for its exceptional levels of service, I arrived with high expectations. When I made my reservation, I spoke with an agent who was clearly well informed, but didn’t go the extra step to make me feel especially pampered. I expected her to ask whether I was celebrating a special occasion or if I had any questions about the hotel or the area, and I was surprised when she did not. However, she was efficient and I was confident that my reservation had been secured. Similarly, when I arrived, a competent staff greeted me. They executed their tasks without delay or distraction, but I did not feel particularly pampered. In general, the hotel’s staff is friendly and well-intended, but doesn’t seem to go out of its way to make the experience exceptional.

(+) Confident, friendly service
(-) Staff sometimes stopped short of providing the pampering expected of a Five-Star property

Guest Rooms: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

The Four Seasons has 273 guest rooms, including 76 suites. While the public spaces project a contemporary sensibility, the rooms and suites have a more traditional design. Soft yellows and grays are used in many of the rooms, and striped or patterned wallpaper lends a classic look to the accommodations. Distinctive artwork and decorative objects round out the stylish rooms and suites, while bay windows focus attention on the Boston skyline and Public Garden.

My room was very comfortable and I enjoyed its fresh, clean look. It was very well soundproofed--I never heard a noise while in the room. The bathroom was spacious and the luxurious amenities were arranged in an elegant manner and were thoughtfully placed in several areas throughout the bathroom. The room was equal parts leisure and business, with many in-room amenities including wireless Internet and multi-line phones for traveling executives, and plush towels and bedding for well-heeled travelers.

(+) Elegant, classic style fitted with modern amenities

Facilities & Activities: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

The Four Seasons Hotel Boston offers the use of a well-equipped fitness center to its guests. The gym has new cardiovascular equipment and weights, and joggers will appreciate the hotel’s maps of the running paths along the Charles River, as well as the post-run towels and water. For a swim with a view, visit the hotel’s indoor pool and whirlpool. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out over Beacon Hill, the Public Garden, and the State House, and the hotel even provides disposable bathing suits for guests who may have left theirs at home. Children are invited to enjoy the pool with the supervision of a parent. Guests are also invited to avail themselves of the hotel’s spa services, enjoyed either in the treatment room or in a private guest room or suite. The hotel offers six different types of massage therapy, along with reflexology, reiki, and shiatsu. Body treatments and facials are also featured.

Outside of the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, the city offers something for all travelers. Take a stroll through the lovely grounds of America’s oldest botanical garden, the Public Garden, or America’s oldest public park, Boston Common. The Public Garden’s lagoon is famous for its unique swan boats, which run from spring through fall, weather permitting. The historic homes and charming streets of Beacon Hill make a nice walking tour, and are just a short distance from the hotel. Boston’s famous Freedom Trail is within minutes from the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, while a bit farther, landmarks such as Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are still reachable by foot. The Wang Center for the Performing Arts is just a five-minute walk, and the theater district is also nearby. Art lovers can appreciate the treasures of the century-old Museum of Fine Arts, a 10-minute drive from the hotel. From sporting events and shopping to historic landmarks, all of Boston’s unique charms are all easily explored while staying at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston.

(+) Hotel’s well-equipped fitness center offers new cardiovascular equipment and weights
(+) Plenty of nearby attractions, landmarks and points of interest

Dining & Lounge: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

From fine French food to burgers and fries, the Four Seasons Hotel Boston has a restaurant to fit your mood. This hotel offers two distinct restaurants, including the casual and cozy Bristol and adjacent lounge, as well as the Mobil Four-Star Aujourd’hui and its bar. The Bristol serves all-day dining with a focus on New England traditions and favorites, and the youngest diners are accommodated with a playful children’s menu offering everything from corn flake-crusted French toast fingers to chicken fingers. The bar is well known for its drinks, especially martinis.

For modern French cuisine in an unforgettable setting, book a table at Aujourd’hui. This restaurant is where Boston comes to celebrate special occasions, big deals, or just to hob knob. The dining room looks out over the Public Garden, while the interiors pop with beautiful oak floors, blue and yellow fabrics, and unusual artwork. The restaurant’s menu focuses on fine dining, though a children’s menu and light, healthy cuisine are also available. Aujourd’hui also serves Sunday brunch and hosts weekly epicurean events, such as the Tuesday wine and food pairings.

The restaurants at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston deliver on their promise, and even room service is a standout at this hotel. I dined in my room and was pleased by the prompt delivery, excellent presentation, and quality food. My server took extra steps to ensure my satisfaction, and I felt pampered. It was a wonderful experience. Since I thoroughly enjoyed my room service, I expected to be equally dazzled by The Bristol. Unfortunately, I was seated next to the wait station and was rather distracted by the staff’s small talk. I didn’t feel that staff members were as attentive or warm as the experience I had with room service.

(+) Dining, both in-room and at the restaurants, is one of the hotel’s strong points
(-) Service at breakfast wasn’t as polished as anticipated

Business Services: Four Seasons Hotel Boston

The Four Seasons Hotel Boston is an excellent destination for conducting business, whether traveling alone or with a group. The hotel has a business center, and while it is unstaffed, the adjacent concierge desk can assist with any need. The rooms and suites easily double as offices, and the convenient location is a boon to travelers who don’t want to spend their free time traveling to and from meetings.

The hotel is also a great location for corporate events or meetings. There are about 20 different function spaces, and the hotel maintains a conference/meeting plan staff to help execute the perfect event.

(+) Hotel is a good fit for individual or group business travelers
(-) Lack of staff in business center may be inconvenient for some travelers, but a concierge is nearby to assist